Uncoupling device for toy and model railroad cars



Aug. 29, 1961 H. F. MAURER, SR 2,998,145

UNCOUPLING DEVICE FOR TOY AND MODEL RAILROAD CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 22, 1959 INVENT OR. J20 Ward 011ml: 5:,

A TTORNEY m cm mm o 1961 H. F. MAURER, SR 2,998,145

UNCOUPLING DEVICE FOR TOY AND MODEL RAILROAD CARS Filed April 22, 1959 2SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR.

AT T ORNEY 2,998,145 UNCOUPL'ING DEVICE FOR TOY AND MODEL RAIIJROAD CARSHoward F. Maurer, Sr., North Tonawanda, N.Y. Filed Apr. 22, 1959, Ser.No. 808,256 8 Claims. (Cl. 213-212) My invention relates to railroad caruncoupling means and more particularly to an improved means foruncoupling toy and model railroad cars provided with couplers which areeach formed to automatically couple to a like coupler when movedthereagainst and which are each formed with a depending uncoupling pinso formed and located that when the pin of one coupler is swung towardthe pin of the other coupler of a coupled pair the couplers areuncoupled.

In view of the considerable efiort that is being made to make theequipment and operation of toy railroad systems simulate theconstruction and operation of standard railroad systems, prior toy andmodel railroad uncoupling devices which require more or less motion ofcoupled cars over an uncoupling device in order to accomplish anuncoupling operation are not in accordance with recommended standardrailroad practices and are considered objectional by toy and modelrailroad operators.

Another objection to prior uncoupling devices is that when certain partsof the couplers used therewith, particularly the uncoupling pins, becomeslightly deformed from use or abuse, they fail to properly uncouplecoupled couplers, with the result that derailments occur and may causefurther damage to the uncoupling pins and other parts of the equipment.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved uncouplingdevice which will overcome the objections to prior uncoupling devices.

Another object is to provide an improved uncoupling device which doesnot require any motion of coupled cars during an uncoupling operation.

Another object is to provide an improved uncoupling device which willproperly uncouple coupled couplers notwithstanding considerabledeformation of either or both couplers.

Another object is to provide an uncoupling device which does not requireany change in the normal elevation of the cross-ties, rails or roadbed.

Another object is to provide an uncoupling device which is simple,inexpensive to manufacture and highly effective in uncoupling coupledcars and which cannot interfere with normal operation of toy or modelrailroad systems.

Another object is to provide an uncoupling device which if inadvertentlyleft in an uncoupling position, will uncouple cars passing thereover andthereby apprise the operator of the error and which despite the errorwill not cause derailment of the cars.

These and other objects will appear from a perusal of the followingdetailed description of presently preferred forms of the invention andthe drawings wherein like reference characters denote like parts andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a pair of coupled toy ormodel railroad cars mounted upon a section of track provided with myimproved form of car uncoupling device.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3of FIGURE 1, showing a pair of uncoupling plates in their inoperativenormal position in full lines and showing said plates in their caruncoupling plate position in dot and dash lines.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an uncoupling plateactuating means holding the uncoupling plates in their coupleruncoupling position.

atent "ice FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view showing thelocation of the uncoupling pins when a pair of the couplers are coupled.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view showing the location of theuncoupling pins when a pair of the couplers are uncoupled.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a modified form ofuncoupling plates and a modified form of uncoupling plate actuatingmeans.

Referring now to the drawings the fragmentary end portions of a pair oftoy or model railroad cars C are each provided with an automaticcoupling device D each of which carries a depending uncoupling pin P.The uncoupling pins P are each formed and arranged on the associatedcoupler so that when a pair of the couplers are coupled together, asbest shown in FIGURE 5 the pins are spaced a predetermined distanceapart and when the pins are moved one toward the other, as best seen inFIGURE 6, the couplers are uncoupled. It should be understood thathereinafter any use of the term toy, in connection with the cars, thetrack or the present invention includes the term model which is used todesignate accurately scaled toy railroad equipment.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 3 of the drawings, wherein the coupling deviceof the present invention is generally designated by the numeral 10, itwill be seen that the base of each of a pair of suitably spaced rails 11are mounted upon spaced groups of spaced cross-ties 12 and upon arectangularly shaped base plate 13, located between the spaced groups ofcross-ties. The lengths of the base plate 13 is longer than that of thecross-ties 12 so that when one of its ends is alined with one end of thecross-ties its opposite end lies beyond the other end of the cross-tiesand provides a readily accessible extended portion which is providedwith means for actuating certain uncoupling plates all to be hereinafterdescribed.

As shown in FIGURES 1 to 4, a pair of hinge plates 14 and 15 are eachrespectively formed with complementing hinge pin receiving portions 14'and 15" which are hingedly connected together by a hinge pin 16. Theends of the hinge pin 16 are extended beyond the portions 14 and 15 andmay be secured to the base plate 13 or to the cross-ties 11 adjacentthereto in any suitable manner, however it is presently preferred tobend the ends of the pin 16 to provide the short angularly disposed legs17 which may be frictionally secured in holes formed in either the baseplate or the cross-ties. In any event the plates 14 and 15 are hingedlymounted midway between and in spaced parallel relation to the rails 11by the pin 16 so that in their normal inactive positions they each liesubstantially fiat upon the base plate 13 and may each be swung to thesubstantially upright uncoupling pin engaging and coupler uncouplingpositions shown in FIGURE 4, and also indicated by dot and dash lines inFIGURE 3. Still referring to FIGURE 4 the body of a helically wound coilspring 18 embraces the hinge pin 16 and its opposite ends bear upon andact to resiliently hold the plates 14 and 15 in their inactivepositions. The spring 18 allows the plates to be swung to their coupleruncoupling position and thereafter restores the plates to their normalinactive position. As best seen in FIGURES 1 and 4 the plate 13,preferably midway between its sides and midway between the rails '11 isformed with an opening 19 to receive a swingably ilnsonnted part of ameans for actuating the plates 14 and An uncoupling plate actuatingmeans generally designated by the numeral 20 comprises a section of rod2'1 rotatably secured in a bore 2 1 formed in the base plate 13, normalto the plane of the rails 11. The rod 21 extends across the opening 19and has one of its ends Patented Aug. 29, 1961.

bent at a right angle, thereby to provide a radially disposed lever armor fingerpiece 22 which extends upwardly through a suitably shaped slot23 formed and located in the extended part of the base a suitabledistance from the rails, whereby the fingerpiece may be grasped andswung to rotate the rod.

-A rigid plate 26 has one of its ends secured to that portion of the rod16 which is located within the opening 19 and extends substantiallyradially thereto and beneath the plates 14 and 15. The other end of theplate 26 is formed with a somewhat V-shaped notch 27 to provide a pairof spaced arms 24 and 25, the outer ends of which are equally spacedfrom the axis of the rod 21 and from the axis of the hinge pin 16. Thearms 24 and 25, being thus formed and located, swing in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 2, when the fingerpiece 22 isswung in the same direction, and during their swinging movement the arms24 and 25 operate the lower side of the uncoupling plates 14 andrespectively and by a cam like action thereagainst swing them about thepivot pin 16 to their substantially up right coupler uncouplingpositions. The extent of the counter clockwise swinging movement of thefingerpiece 22 is limited by one end of the slot 23 and at this time thearms 24 and 25 of the plate 26 are substantially upright andtransversely straddle the plates 14 and 15 and prevent their return totheir normal position until the plate 26 is swung to its normalposition. It is intended that uncoupling plates 14 and 15 should bemoved to their uncoupling position by swinging the plate 26 in the abovedescribed manner and direction and immediately thereafter the plate 26should be swung in the opposite direction to release the uncouplingplates 14 and 15 and to allow the spring 18 to restore them to theirnormal position. However, in the event the uncoupling plates 14 and 15are inadvertently left and held in their conpler uncoupling position bythe means they may cause derailment of cars passing thereover and forthis reason the opposite ends of the plates 14 and 15 are bent outwardlyas at 28 thereby to engage and direct the uncoupling pins of coupledcouplers therebetween, whereby coupled cars passing over the erroneouslyconditioned device are not derailed but are uncoupled thereby apprisingthe operator of the error.

Theabove described device being directly operable by the fingerpiece 22is best suited to simple toy railroad systems, however since many of thesundry accessories of more elaborate systems are operated from more orless remote points the extension of the plate 13 carries a conventionalelectro-magnetic means 30 having a plate part 3 1 which is slotted at 32to receive the fingerpiece 22 so that when the circuit, diagrammaticallyindicated in FIGURE 1, is closed the part 31 is moved to the left andswings the fingerpiece to thereby actuate the device in the mannerdescribed. The means 30 includes a compression spring 33 which iscompressed when said means is operated by closing the circuit and whichwhen the circuit is opened acts to restore the associated parts to theirnormal positions.

In the modified form of the device shown in FIGURE 7 a pair of bingeplates 34 and 35, each provided at each of its ends with the hinge pins34' and 35' respectively, are pivotally connected in spaced parallelrelation to each other and midway between and parallel to the rails (notshown) by a pair of the clips 36 which are formed to loosely embrace thehinge pins 34' and 35' and which are secured in place by a screw 37,whereby the spaced hinge plates 34 and 35 are each normally positionedto lie substantially flat upon the base plate 13 and may each be swungto a substantially upright position, during which movement of the plates34 and 35 they each engage and move the uncoupling pins of a pair ofcoupled couplers, thereby to uncouple said couplers. In this form, anactuating plate formed similar to plate 26, may be secured to a rod likethe rod 21 to actuate the hinged plates 34 4 and 35. It is preferredhowever that a rod 21' be bent as shown in FIGURE 7 to provide the rigidarms 24' and 2-5.

It should be understood that the herein shown and described forms ofimproved uncoupling devices are intended to exemplify the principles ofmy invention and that various modifications and rearrangements of thecomponent parts of these devices may be made within the scope of theappended claims, wherein:

1. An improved device for uncoupling toy and model railroad cars havingautomatic couplers provided with a depending uncoupling pin, comprisinga base plate for supporting a parallel pair of rail sections spaced tosuit the spacing of the car wheels, a pair of parallel uncou plingplates located midway between and parallel to the rails below their topsurface and each pivotally mounted for swinging movement from a normalposition substantially flat upon the top surface of the base plate to asubstantially upright position, during which swinging movement saiduncoupling plates engage and move the lower end of the uncoupling pin ofeach of a pair of coupled. couplers located thereabove inwardly andthereby uncouple said couplers, and an uncoupling plate actuating means,said means including a rod pivotally carried by the base plate intransverse relation to and beneath the uncoupling plates and a pair ofspaced radially disposed rigid arms rigidly carried by the rod andnormally located beneath the uncoupling plates for swinging movementfrom their normal position through an opening in the base plate to asubstantially upright position during which movement the rigid armsexert a camming action against the uncoupling plates and thereby movethem to their upright coupler uncoupling position.

2. An improved device for uncoupling toy railroad cars, as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the inner side edges of the uncoupling plates arehingedly connected together by a hinge pin and the opposite ends of thehinge pin are formed to locate and mount said uncoupling plates forswinging movement about said pin and a spring means is formed, locatedand engaged with each of the uncoupling plates, thereby to resilientlymaintain said plates in and to return them to their normal positionafter the uncoupling plate actuating means has been restored to itsfirst position.

3. An improved device for uncoupling toy railroad cars as set forth inclaim 1 wherein the outer end of the pivotally mounted rod is providedwith a radially disposed manually operable lever arm extended through aslot formed in the plate to allow for partially rotating it and isprovided adjacent its other end with the pair of rigid arms, said rigidarms being spaced and formed to engage and cam said plates from theirnormal position to their upright position when the rod is partiallyrotated by the lever.

4. An improved device for uncoupling toy railroad casr as set forth inclaim 3 wherein an electromagnetic means operable from a remote point bysuitable circuit means is carried by and located on the base plate, saidmeans including a movable part operably connected to the manuallyoperable lever, said part including a slot arranged to allow theuncoupling device to be directly operated by the lever independently ofsaid means or to be operated by said means from a remote point.

5. An improved device for uncoupling the automatic couplers of toyrailroad cars as set forth in claim 1 wherein the opposite ends of theuncoupling plates are bent outwardly to engage and direct the uncouplingpins of cars passing thereover therebetween, when the uncoupling plateshave been inadvertently left in their uncoupling position, therebyapprising the operator of the error, and avoiding derailment of the carsand apprising the operator of the error.

6. An improved device for uncoupling the automatic couplers of toyrailroad cars as set forth in claim 1 wherein the inner side edge of theuncoupling plates are Spaced one from the other and have each of their0pposite ends provided with a pivot pin alined with said edge, and clipmeans secured to the base plate each formed and arranged thereon toembrace and pivotally secure an adjacent pair of the pivot pins, therebyto position and allow the swinging movement of said plates.

7. An improved device for uncoupling the automatic couplers of toyrailroad cars as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pair of spacedradially disposed rigid arms are integrally formed on the rod.

8. An improved device for uncoupling the automatic couplers of toyrailroad cars as set forth in claim 6 wherein the rod is integrallyformed with a spaced pair 6 of radially disposed U-shaped loops toprovide the rigid arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,205,830 Flannery June 25, 1940 2,558,383 Pritchard June 26, 19512,631,740 Watson Mar. 17, 1953 2,872,051 Dunbar Feb. 3, 1959 FOREIGNPATENTS 938,476 Germany July 8, 1949 938,477 Germany July 8, 1949

